The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight has raised major concerns over several items in the ₦1.48 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill presented by the Rivers State Government.
According to Spokesman, House of Representatives Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr. during a budget defence session at the National Assembly, Committee Chairman and House Leader, Rt. Hon. Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, CON, flagged questionable allocations including ₦24 billion for CCTV installation at the Government House, ₦30 billion for gunboats, and ₦23 billion listed as contingency without detailed justification.
He also criticised the state’s decision to fund projects traditionally handled by the Federal Government, warning that such spending must be backed by legal frameworks and formal agreements.
To ensure transparency, the Committee issued a 48-hour deadline for the state to submit:
- A breakdown of the highlighted expenditure items;
- A copy of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF);
- Monthly records of Federal Allocations and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from January to June 2025;
- Full disclosure of Local Government fund management and financial transfers;
- Documents relating to the Airforce Base Agreement mentioned during the budget defence.
“We want to ensure accountability and protect the interests of the people of Rivers State,” Ihonvbere said, affirming the National Assembly’s oversight role and commending President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in restoring calm in the state’s governance crisis.
Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Special Adviser Mr. Andrew Nweke explained that the budget items were largely inherited and based on agency assessments. He justified the gunboat procurement as a security measure, the contingency fund for flood response, and the CCTV project as critical to enhancing surveillance at the Government House.
He assured the Committee of full cooperation and prompt submission of requested documents.
The National Assembly had earlier ratified a State of Emergency in Rivers State, invoking constitutional provisions to assume legislative functions in the state amid ongoing governance challenges.
